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Good article by Walls....
Bulldogs to pass their biggest test
The Age
Robert Walls | July 10, 2009
THIS Western Bulldogs team is arguably their best of all time. Footscray won its only flag back in 1954 when Charlie Sutton captain-coached the team from the forward pocket and the great Ted Whitten stood at centre half-back.
Since then, there have been a lot more tough than terrific times. Coach Rodney Eade, now into his fifth season at the helm out west, has developed a fast-flowing, attacking team that possesses some of the best foot skills you could wish to see. There are few better kicks than Robert Murphy, Lindsay Gilbee, Brian Lake, Daniel Giansiracusa and Jason Akermanis. Throw in some genuine hard nuts such as Daniel Cross, Matthew Boyd, Mitch Hahn and ruckman Ben Hudson, and a favourable combination of class and grunt emerges.
The time is now for the Bulldogs. Age-wise, the team is coming into its prime. There are 14 regulars who have done a thorough AFL apprenticeship and have the invaluable experience of 100-plus games under their belt.
Last year, they finished an admirable third after losing a preliminary final to Geelong. They were better than the five-goal losing margin that the scoreboard indicated that night. There is no doubt that the team has improved this season. They are currently on a roll, having won seven of their past eight games. The loss was to Geelong, and that could have been a win, had captain Brad Johnson kicked accurately with the last kick of the game. A victory over Collingwood tonight is vital. The Pies have won six on the trot and sit fourth on the ladder. The Bulldogs have only beaten one top-eight team this year and need to take the Pies to prove they can beat some quality.
A major reason for this year's improvement is to do with the form of the five most experienced players. Liam Picken (son of Billy) hadn't played a senior game until this year. Now, he is the team's No. 1 tagger. Each week, he is assigned one of the opposition's midfield guns, last week Hawthorn's Chance Bateman, tonight most likely the red-hot Alan Didak. With his selfless, fanatical approach, he has restricted by half most of his opponents' influence. His teammates love him for his single-minded application to do a job for the team. Several times this season he has won the players after-game vote for best representing the trademark values of the team.
The Dogs' defence is full of experienced campaigners, other than Jarrod Harbrow who is a lightly built, left-footed speedster from Cairns. In just his third season, he has added dash and poise to a quality back-line unit. After struggling to make an impact as a small forward, the move to defence in round 10 has been a revelation. With encouragement from the coach to take the opposition on with bold, daring runs, Harbrow continually excites with his 75-metre plays.
Last year, Callan Ward was a western suburban high-school student who played six games of senior football with his beloved Bulldogs. Now, while still a teenager, he is a permanent part of a strong midfield unit. He plays alongside Brownlow medallists, in Adam Cooney and Jason Akermanis, and goes stride for stride with the likes of Gary Ablett, Chris Judd and Nick Dal Santo. And despite his youth, he looks completely at home on the big stage. He is an uncomplicated kid who loves his footy and plays it full-bore. His courage is unquestioned and his inspirational acts lift his teammates.
Up forward, coach Eade has created a multi-pronged attack. By season's end, he will have at least six players who will have 30-plus goals to their name. Leading the charge will be old stagers "Aker" and "Johnno", but not far behind them will be two of the most exciting youngsters in the game — Shaun Higgins and Josh Hill. Higgins was a first-round draft pick and is now showing all the class that was predicted. At 21, he is regarded as one of the club's hardest workers. Many good judges predict that with his ambition, work ethic and maturity he is a definite captain in the making. Injury restricted the half-forward to just seven games last season. Now, he is flying and he makes the Dogs' attack lethal.
Hill came to the Western Bulldogs from Perth club Claremont as a 17-year-old. That was three years ago. It was a gamble. Attitude and effort left a lot to be desired. Teammates taught him the value of hard work. His rise has been amazing. With an incredible vertical leap and clever body positioning, he is able to regularly take damaging marks close to goal. With the importance of defensive pressure being drilled into him, Hill earned the respect of this teammates last week with 13 tackle attempts in the big victory over the Hawks.
Tonight cannot come quick enough for the Bulldogs. They genuinely believe that they are at a stage where they can challenge the best. Losing by a kick to the Cats in round nine reinforced that belief. Since then, they have beaten five bottom-half-of-the-ladder teams. So Collingwood presents a wonderful opportunity for Eade and his veterans and kids to test themselves. It's a test I think they will pass.
Bulldogs to pass their biggest test
The Age
Robert Walls | July 10, 2009
THIS Western Bulldogs team is arguably their best of all time. Footscray won its only flag back in 1954 when Charlie Sutton captain-coached the team from the forward pocket and the great Ted Whitten stood at centre half-back.
Since then, there have been a lot more tough than terrific times. Coach Rodney Eade, now into his fifth season at the helm out west, has developed a fast-flowing, attacking team that possesses some of the best foot skills you could wish to see. There are few better kicks than Robert Murphy, Lindsay Gilbee, Brian Lake, Daniel Giansiracusa and Jason Akermanis. Throw in some genuine hard nuts such as Daniel Cross, Matthew Boyd, Mitch Hahn and ruckman Ben Hudson, and a favourable combination of class and grunt emerges.
The time is now for the Bulldogs. Age-wise, the team is coming into its prime. There are 14 regulars who have done a thorough AFL apprenticeship and have the invaluable experience of 100-plus games under their belt.
Last year, they finished an admirable third after losing a preliminary final to Geelong. They were better than the five-goal losing margin that the scoreboard indicated that night. There is no doubt that the team has improved this season. They are currently on a roll, having won seven of their past eight games. The loss was to Geelong, and that could have been a win, had captain Brad Johnson kicked accurately with the last kick of the game. A victory over Collingwood tonight is vital. The Pies have won six on the trot and sit fourth on the ladder. The Bulldogs have only beaten one top-eight team this year and need to take the Pies to prove they can beat some quality.
A major reason for this year's improvement is to do with the form of the five most experienced players. Liam Picken (son of Billy) hadn't played a senior game until this year. Now, he is the team's No. 1 tagger. Each week, he is assigned one of the opposition's midfield guns, last week Hawthorn's Chance Bateman, tonight most likely the red-hot Alan Didak. With his selfless, fanatical approach, he has restricted by half most of his opponents' influence. His teammates love him for his single-minded application to do a job for the team. Several times this season he has won the players after-game vote for best representing the trademark values of the team.
The Dogs' defence is full of experienced campaigners, other than Jarrod Harbrow who is a lightly built, left-footed speedster from Cairns. In just his third season, he has added dash and poise to a quality back-line unit. After struggling to make an impact as a small forward, the move to defence in round 10 has been a revelation. With encouragement from the coach to take the opposition on with bold, daring runs, Harbrow continually excites with his 75-metre plays.
Last year, Callan Ward was a western suburban high-school student who played six games of senior football with his beloved Bulldogs. Now, while still a teenager, he is a permanent part of a strong midfield unit. He plays alongside Brownlow medallists, in Adam Cooney and Jason Akermanis, and goes stride for stride with the likes of Gary Ablett, Chris Judd and Nick Dal Santo. And despite his youth, he looks completely at home on the big stage. He is an uncomplicated kid who loves his footy and plays it full-bore. His courage is unquestioned and his inspirational acts lift his teammates.
Up forward, coach Eade has created a multi-pronged attack. By season's end, he will have at least six players who will have 30-plus goals to their name. Leading the charge will be old stagers "Aker" and "Johnno", but not far behind them will be two of the most exciting youngsters in the game — Shaun Higgins and Josh Hill. Higgins was a first-round draft pick and is now showing all the class that was predicted. At 21, he is regarded as one of the club's hardest workers. Many good judges predict that with his ambition, work ethic and maturity he is a definite captain in the making. Injury restricted the half-forward to just seven games last season. Now, he is flying and he makes the Dogs' attack lethal.
Hill came to the Western Bulldogs from Perth club Claremont as a 17-year-old. That was three years ago. It was a gamble. Attitude and effort left a lot to be desired. Teammates taught him the value of hard work. His rise has been amazing. With an incredible vertical leap and clever body positioning, he is able to regularly take damaging marks close to goal. With the importance of defensive pressure being drilled into him, Hill earned the respect of this teammates last week with 13 tackle attempts in the big victory over the Hawks.
Tonight cannot come quick enough for the Bulldogs. They genuinely believe that they are at a stage where they can challenge the best. Losing by a kick to the Cats in round nine reinforced that belief. Since then, they have beaten five bottom-half-of-the-ladder teams. So Collingwood presents a wonderful opportunity for Eade and his veterans and kids to test themselves. It's a test I think they will pass.
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